Finding Fred
by miss-ginnifer
Summary: Set after the episode "A Hole in the World" (5.15). But instead of being taken over Fred has died. Wesley struggling with his grief turns to alcohol and sorcery for comfort. Wesley is on a mission to bring Fred back to life with some help from a new 'friend'...
1. Chapter 1 - Gone

**Title:**Finding Fred

**Chapter One:**Gone

**Author:**The-Sweetest-Snow-White

**Rating:**PG-13

**Characters:**Wesley Wyndam-Price, Winifred "Fred" Burkle, Samara the Sorcerer (original character), Angel, Cordelia Chase

**This Chapter:**Wesley Wyndam-Price, Winifred "Fred" Burkle (ghost form only), Cordelia Chase

**Summary:**This story is set after the episode "A Hole in the World" (5.15). But instead of being taken over Fred has died. Wesley struggling with his grief turns to alcohol and sorcery for comfort. During one of his many visits to the library he meets Samara. She claims that she is a powerful sorcerer who can bring Fred back from the dead. In fact she claims Fred is not really dead but is in a kind of limbo. Angel and Cordelia worn Wesley not to trust her but he ignores their warnings. Desperate to get back the love of his life Wesley will do anything Samara tells him to…anything.

**This Chapter:**Wesley drunk out of his mind starts seeing Fred everywhere. Cordelia comes to see him to try and get him to come to Fred's funeral but he refuses. Instead he goes to the graveyard after the funeral to say his own private goodbye to Fred…he sees her again and this time talks to her.

**Warnings:**High emotional content; I will be posting chapter by chapter.

**Disclaimer:** I do not own any of this it is strictly for fun. Only one character was created by me (Samara the Sorcerer).

**Chapter 1**

_**Gone…**_

"She's gone…..gone…." Wesley mumbled to himself as he poured another scotch. It had been 4 days, 12 hours, 10 minutes and 82 seconds since his beloved Fred had been taken from him. All he did now was drink and count the time since he had lost the only woman he ever really loved. He momentarily got up from his brown leather couch, it squeaked as he did so. He slowly lumbered his way over to his desk and picked up a framed picture. Fred's beautiful angelic face smiled back at him from the expensive wooden frame. Tears formed in the corner of his eyes and slowly fell down his pale cheeks. "I can't do it Fred…I can't live without you" he whispered his voice cracking.

He continued to drink until the bottle of scotch was empty. When it was he took another out of his desk draw and sat back down on the leather couch. He just couldn't function with Fred in his life. It was as though when she died she had taken him with her. Just as his eyes began to droop there was a pensive knock on the door of his apartment. He got up from the couch, nearly tripping over the coffee table as he did so and made his way slowly to the door.

Wesley looked through the peep hole to see Cordelia Chase standing on his doorstep, a bunch of red roses in her hand. He furrowed his brow and closed his eyes leaning his head against the smooth oak wood of his front door. He took a deep breath before speaking "What is it Cordelia?" He asked through the door. He had not seen or spoken to Cordelia, Angel or anyone else since Fred's death.

Cordelia looked directly at Wesley through the peep hole and frowned. "I tried calling you like fifteen times…don't you want to say goodbye to Fred?" She asked making a puppy dog face. Slowly Wesley unlocked the door and opened it so it was slightly ajar. "And I told you I am not ready" He said leaning his head against the door and closing his eyes again. Cordelia crossed her arms the flowers still in her hand. She was dressed all in black; the only color on her was the flowers in her hand. "I'm not taking no for an answer…we all loved her Wes and she deserves a proper send-off" She said thrusting the red roses towards him. He pushed them back to her and shook his head. "I will do so in my own time, goodbye Cordelia". Wesley closed and locked the door even as he could hear Cordelia protesting. "You can't hide in there forever Wesley!" She shouted through the door. After a few moments he heard her walking back down the hallway.

Wesley sat back down on the couch and sunk into it, his eyes closing. Out of nowhere he heard a familiar voice. It was as clear as a beautiful ringing bell "Now that wasn't very nice" said Fred's voice. His eyes snapped open as soon as he heard it and there standing in front of him was…..FRED! He stared at her wide eyed and confused "Fred?" he asked. She smiled at him her head slightly titled to the side. Wesley got up from the couch quickly and ran to embrace her. But no sooner had he reached the spot where she stood but she was gone. "But it felt so real" He mumbled removing his glasses and rubbing his eyes. Had he been seeing a ghost, was she really here or was it just his drunken haze taking over…..


	2. Chapter 2 - Looking for Answers

**Chapter 2**

_**Looking for Answers**_

**2 days later…**

Wesley approached the graveyard slowly and carefully. In his hands he held a bouquet of yellow roses tied with a pink ribbon. When he saw them at the florist the colours had reminded him of Fred's personality, bright and sunny such a joy to know. He wanted to say goodbye on his own terms not anyone else's. Secretly he also hoped to see her again, ghost or not he just had to see her face.

He carefully placed the flowers on Fred's grave, holding back tears. He sunk down to his knees in front of it. For a few moments there was silence, and then he spoke "Are you here Fred?" He whispered hopeful of a reply. The only reply came from the wind that blew through a nearby tree sending leaves scattering onto the ground. He let out a deep sigh and stood to leave. When he turned around there she was. Like an angel before home glowing in a yellow light there was his love.

Wesley smiled at her tears falling down his cheeks. He couldn't speak; he was so overwhelmed with emotion. He was afraid to move, what if she disappeared like last time. Fred did not look happy like last time. She was franticly mouthing something but Wesley could hear no sound. Slowly he approached her, with each step his heart beat faster. "Fred my love what's wrong?" He asked. He came to a stop in front of her so close he could touch her. But Fred was screaming at him and then with a bright flash of light she was gone again. Wesley furrowed his brow confused. So Fred was a ghost but it seemed like she was trying to tell him something.

Now he knew what he had to do. Wesley had to find a way to figure out what Fred was trying to tell him. He left the graveyard and went straight to the local library. But it wasn't just any library it was a special one with a secret area for those with the right clearance level it gave access to every supernatural book one could ever need.

Wesley drove at high speed until he reached the library. He showed his membership card to the library assistant who let him into the restricted area. He searched the shelves desperately looking for the right book about communicating with the dead. As he was rounded the corner still going at high speed he ran right into someone. "Oh I'm awfully sorry" He mumbled still thinking about what he was looking for. A young blonde woman with piercing green eyes looked up at him with a smile. She was no more than 25 and stunningly beautiful. There was something different about her that he couldn't quite but his finger on. "No problem, are you lost" She asked picking up the books Wesley had caused her to drop. "Not at all" Wesley mumbled looking around at the signs to find the right isle. "I'm Samara, I am one of the library assistants" She said smiling and extended her free hand. "Wesley Wyndam-Price, I'm just doing some research" Wesley said shaking her hand…..


End file.
